Gunpowder and Tea Cakes: My Journey with Felicity

Everyone shuffles backward to clear a space in the green for the militia. Somebody tromps on my foot, but I hardly notice. I am on tiptoe trying to see a glimpse of the soldiers. Felicity claps her hands as a column of men come into view, marching down the green toward us. There must be fifty or more. Most are wearing fringed leather buckskins like frontier explorers. Some don’t look any older than Ben, while others have grey hair. They don’t look like soldiers. But they all carry muskets and seem ready for a fight.

Ben murmurs that he envies those men. Felicity tries to remind him that he’s an apprentice, but then someone calls out for Ben. I see a skinny young man sliding through the crowd. Ben introduces us to his friend, Ezra. He’s tied a bright blue cloth over his black curls instead of wearing a hat. When he turns, I see a hatchet hanging from his waist.

Ezra’s voice grows quieter. He says the real excitement isn’t even here at the lawn. He says there are rumors that the British marines sent by Governor Dunmore didn’t steal all the gunpowder from the Magazine, but instead left several barrels behind. Ezra’s trying to gather Patriots to help fetch the remaining barrels before the governor can steal the last ones.

Ben turns to Felicity. We can tell he wants to help Ezra. But what do we think? Felicity hesitates. A part of her wants to go, but she knows it could be dangerous. She looks at me.